A 20-year-old Sussex man suspected of making explosives in his Champeny Court apartment last October has entered into a plea agreement with federal prosecutors.

Anthony Haessly pleaded guilty on Wednesday, Jan. 15 in the Eastern District Court of Wisconsin to one count of unlawful transportation of ammunition and one count of transporting explosive materials. A third count of importing explosive materials was dropped by prosecutors.

Haessly could face up to 20 years in prison and $250,000 in fines under the law, but prosecutors have agreed to request a reduced prison sentence with no fines under the plea agreement.

Waukesha County Sheriff’s deputies were first alerted by a neighbor on Oct. 23 that Haessly was allegedly in possession of pipe bombs, according to a search warrant affidavit.

The neighbor told police in the affidavit that Haessly said he would use explosives on anyone, including law enforcement officials, if he was sent back to jail. Haessly was convicted of burning down a cottage at the Lad Lake Residential Treatment Center in August 2010 and sentenced to five years probation with a minimum one-year jail sentence, according to court records.

Federal and local law enforcement executed the search warrant on Haessly’s residence at W246 N6704 Champeny Court on Oct. 24. The Milwaukee Bomb Squad detonated two explosive devices at the residence and Haessly was taken into custody on a probation violation.

According to a federal affidavit, police found at Haessly’s residence a denim “suicide vest” that had a pipe bomb strapped to it.

Haessly told police the suicide vest could be detonated either by flame or if he was “taken down hard” by law enforcement, the affidavit states. Also recovered from the apartment was a homemade firearm which Haessly said shot 12-gauge shells.

Haessly is expected to be sentenced on Tuesday, April 29.

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